Parliament name - Structure of parliament Unicameral

BACKGROUND

Dates of election / renewal 26 October 2014 (from/to) Purpose of elections The elections were the first to be held under the new Constitution adopted in January 2014. No party won an outright majority in the newly-formed Assembly of People's Representatives. , a secular party led by former Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, came in first, taking 86 of the 217 seats. It won 17 more than Ennahdha, an Islamist party which had been the largest force in the previous National Constituent Assembly. Two other parties won more than 10 seats: the (UPL) led by businessman Slim Riahi and the , a leftist coalition, led by Mr. Hamma Hammami, which took 16 and 15 seats respectively. Another 15 parties entered parliament with less than 10 seats. Following the example of the 2011 elections to the National Constituent Assembly, the 2014 electoral law required that electoral lists be presented on the basis of gender equality, with women and men alternating on the list. 68 women were elected (31%), up from 57 in 2011.

Following the elections to the National Constituent Assembly in October 2011, Ennahdha had formed a coalition government with two secular parties: the Congress for the Republic (CPR) and the Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties (FDTL, Ettakatol). However, street protests over the murder of two prominent opposition figures by Islamist militants in February and July 2013 led two successive Prime Ministers from the Ennahdha – Mr. Hamadi Jebali and Mr. Ali Laarayedh - to resign. An interim technocratic government led by Mr. Mehdi Jomaa was formed in January 2014.

During the 2014 election campaigning, Nidaa Tounes, which comprises former members of the ousted President Ben Ali's Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), promised to work for a new development model to tackle unemployment and social inequality which, in its view, have worsened since 2011. It promised to create more jobs and to revive the tourism industry by bringing security and stability. Ennahdha, led by Mr. Rached Ghannouchi, called on voters’ renewed support, arguing that the party had learned from past mistakes. It called for a unity government to complete the democratic transition and for austerity measures to revive economic growth.

Presidential elections are due on 23 November, which will mark the end of the transitional period after the revolution that ousted President Ben Ali in February 2011. Date of previous elections: 23 October 2011* *Elections to the National Constituent Assembly

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 2 Dember 2014

Timing of election: N/A* *Election to a new full-fledged parliament replacing the National Constituent Assembly.

Expected date of next elections: October 2019

Number of seats at stake: 217 (full renewal)

Number of candidates: 15,652

Percentage of women candidates: About 47%

Number of parties contesting the election: 1,500 lists representing more than 100 parties

Number of parties winning seats: 18 (15 parties and three lists)

Alternation of power: N/A* *The caretaker government replaced the government formed after the 2011 elections prior to the elections.

Number of parties in government: 4

Names of parties in government: Nidaa Tounes, Ennahdha, Free Patriotic Union (UPL) and

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 2 December 2014

Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Mohamed Ennaceur (Nidaa Tounes)

STATISTICS

Voter turnout Round no 1 26 October 2014

Number of registered electors 5'236'244 Voters 3'579'257 (68.36%) Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes

Notes Distribution of votes

Round no 1

Political Group Candidates Votes %

Nidaa Tounes

Ennahdha

Free Patriotic Union (UPL)

Popular Front

Afek Tounes

Congress for the Republic (CPR)

Democratic Current

National Destourian Initiative party (Al Moubadara)

People's Movement

Current of Love (Mahabba)

Republican Party (Al Joumhouri)

Democratic Alliance National Salvation Front

Farmers’ Voice party

Movement of Democratic Socialists

Call from Tunisians Abroad

Independent List "Al Majd al-Jerid"

Independent List "Rad el iîtibar"

Distribution of seats

Round no 1

Political Group Total

Nidaa Tounes 86

Ennahdha 69

Free Patriotic Union (UPL) 16

Popular Front 15

Afek Tounes 8

Congress for the Republic (CPR) 4

Democratic Current 3

National Destourian Initiative party (Al Moubadara) 3

People's Movement 3

Current of Love (Mahabba) 2

Republican Party (Al Joumhouri) 1

Democratic Alliance 1

National Salvation Front 1

Farmers’ Voice party 1

Movement of Democratic Socialists 1

Call from Tunisians Abroad 1

Independent List "Al Majd al-Jerid" 1

Independent List "Rad el iîtibar" 1

Distribution of seats according to sex

Men 149 Women 68 Percent of women 31.34% Distribution of seats according to age

Distribution of seats according to profession

Comments Sources: Assembly of People's Representatives (23.12.2014) http://www.lapresse.tn